D&D kind of muddies the waters; Sobek and Apep should definitely not be demipowers. Pathfinder's version of Sobek is far closer to the real myth of the crocodile god than the cowardly sycophant of the Mulhorandi pantheon, while Apep should either be a greater power or something equivalent to Jormungandr or Dendar - a cosmic horror intrinsicly tied to his pantheon.

Set himself is generally overhyped as a villain. Yes, he is a fratricidal monster, but he's a valued member of the Egyptian pantheon and the protector of Ra. In myth, he and Horus eventually buried the hatchet.

The Realms' versions of the Egyptian gods have a good excuse for being different than their "real" counterparts, though. As for Set and Horus making up, that's not what I would call accurate. Certain royal dynasties saw Set differently than other royal dynasties, which altered his portrayals during their reigns; they didn't have the negative views that previous and some later dynasties saw him. The D&D game can't easily handle these contradictions, though.

The bigger issue I have is that the game associates him with snakes, which is not accurate to the mythology as far as I can tell, and completely ignores the Set animal. To be honest, I've been resisting working on the Egyptian pantheon these last couple months, since I spent much of January in the country visiting some of the spectacular monuments. :)

Very interesting write-up of Shekinester, although as we discussed, you didn't include Ssharstrune, although he (it?) may be just Toril-specific.

He and the whole "World Serpent" thing are post-2e, so outside the scope of the project. I would consider much of that FR-specific viewpoints (much as the nagas have a different interpretation of some things compared to couatl and the Vedic followers).

quote:Originally posted by Baltas

I thought other aspects of Shekinester, would be alied with other aspects of Kali/Parvati/Durga (Shakti) - specifically Preserver with Parvati, and the Empowerer with Durga.

I also think now Shekinester could have an eninimity, or relation in the Weaver aspect with Shaktari, who is worshipped by some Naga.

Especially that Shaktari takes on may similar themes as Shekinester.

I'm limiting myself to the AD&D material on the Vedic deities until I can do the research I want, and they aren't covered in the material, so I don't (yet) know how they might interact with Shekinester.

I think Set went waaay beyond 'selfish douche' when he murdered his brother and dismembered him.

Well, if his pops hadn't shafted him in the inheritance by giving all the good land to Osiris and all the crappy land to Set, he wouldn't have had to resort to such measures. It's all Ra's fault, really. ;)

The naga don't really seem to have any bad interactions with the Vedic pantheon. Garuda hates them all, but conversely both Vasuki and Ananta Sesha, both nagaraja, are friendly with Shiva and Vishnu respectively. Ananta Sesha is notable because in addition to being Vishnu's living throne/couch/canopy, he also often incarnates alongside Vishnu to serve as brother or supporter to Vishnu's avatars, while Vasuki - in addition to helping the asura and the devas churn amrta, the nectar of immortality - spends his time coiled around Shiva's throat.

Yes, that snake around Shiva's throat in religious art is actually a naga god-king.

Flying through the skies of the upper planes is the Great Lord of the Eagles, Remnis. He is said to be the ultimate aerial hunter, and with his great eyesight, he spies out secrets throughout the planes. He perches on the heights of Mount Celestia and in the boughs of the World Tree Yggdrasil, awaiting the call to service.

So it might be a bit late but this has to be, without a doubt the greatest work I have ever come across. I am absolutely blown away by each of these entries as I read them. It has been many years since I have felt that sense of pure enjoyment reading detailed and immersive lore I am unfamiliar with especially for the most common settings in DnD.

Thanks for making me feel like a kid with his first supplement book again!

Nearly insane, Blibdoolpoolp is patron of the declining subterranean race of kuo-toa. She hates humanity for the ancient wars that drove her race underground, and is well pleased when her followers sacrifice them to her. She is rumored to know great secrets of ancient magics, but in her insanity, she shares them with no one.

Nearly insane, Blibdoolpoolp is patron of the declining subterranean race of kuo-toa. She hates humanity for the ancient wars that drove her race underground, and is well pleased when her followers sacrifice them to her. She is rumored to know great secrets of ancient magics, but in her insanity, she shares them with no one.

Jeff

I like the rumor tying her to Anguileusis, as well as the one that makes her a daughter of the elder elemental god and sister to Olhydra. I also like the idea that she sponsored the rise of Ilxendren.

Darahl Firecloak? Your own invention?

Man, you put some work into that. Well done. I will have to get t the rest later, but I like it.

While still powerful, the somnolent Merrshaulk is in a slow decline. His chosen followers are the insidious yuan-ti, who lurk in ruins of ancient cities, either remnants of their own past or the remains of places they corrupted and destroyed. His lack of direct attention to his followers has led to a usurpation of his power by other deities on more than one world, however.

One of the four minor centaur deities mentioned in Dragon Magazine #103, Linroth is a deity of speed, traveling, and merchants. I drew some inspiration from nomadic steppe peoples for the write-up, as well as some elements from Greek mythology.

Persana is the creator and patron of the tritons, having sculpted them from elemental water and breathed life into them. He is known as one of the greatest architects of the multiverse, having designed a wide variety of wonders throughout the planes. While aloof and generally uninterested in the affairs of others, he recognizes that the other good and neutral races of the deep are more likely to keep to agreements and defend allies in need, and so has thrown his lot in with them.

Wrapping up the reptilian deities is Semuanya, the patron and creator of lizard men and their kin. Semuanya is an aloof deity who exists and survives for the sake of surviving and existing, and teaches his followers that survival and propagation is of paramount importance.

One of the four minor centaur deities mentioned in Dragon Magazine #103, Linroth is a deity of speed, traveling, and merchants. I drew some inspiration from nomadic steppe peoples for the write-up, as well as some elements from Greek mythology.

Jeff

Well done. BTW, I'd put this deity also as an ally of Lurue. The way both of them are portrayed as travelling the world, I can just picture a race similar to what you described with Hermes, but with Lurue using gates, teleportation, and other magical tricks to stay one step ahead.... but maybe Linroth finally wins and Lurue rewards Linroth's cunning by gifting her a magical animal companion... maybe a small amazingly fast talking hummingbird? I can picture the two getting into highjinks together and the hummingbird being able to go where she can't. Maybe even the talking hummingbird talks SOOO fast that noone else can understand it except speedy Linroth.

Well done. BTW, I'd put this deity also as an ally of Lurue. The way both of them are portrayed as travelling the world, I can just picture a race similar to what you described with Hermes, but with Lurue using gates, teleportation, and other magical tricks to stay one step ahead.... but maybe Linroth finally wins and Lurue rewards Linroth's cunning by gifting her a magical animal companion... maybe a small amazingly fast talking hummingbird? I can picture the two getting into highjinks together and the hummingbird being able to go where she can't. Maybe even the talking hummingbird talks SOOO fast that noone else can understand it except speedy Linroth.

I could see a lot of that. I mainly went with Greek rather than any other connections because of Kheiron (Chiron) and the real-world mythic origins of centaurs. :)

This month features the second of the four centaur deities that were listed but not detailed in an old Dragon Magazine articles on centaurs. Fanthros is the patriach of the small clan of four deities, who all serve under Skerrit the Forrester. Among the small centaur pantheon, Fanthros is the deity of weather, the sky, and agriculture.